With Anthony Edwards' unfortunate knee injury, the Minnesota Timberwolves' rotation naturally changes. Bones Hyland is one player who will see increased opportunity, and we saw this on Wednesday. Hyland found himself outside of the Wolves' rotation to start the season, only playing situational minutes. Regardless, he's primed to be a mainstay of the rotation until Edwards returns.
With Ayo Dosunmu starting, the Wolves' bench has some uncertainty. In fact, Terrence Shannon Jr. is the only bench guard who was previously in the rotation. As such, they need another guard with creation chops off the bench. Hyland fills this void.
Wednesday's game showed that Hyland can make a positive impact and highlighted his importance to the Wolves as they operate without Ant. Hyland scored 13 points and dished out three dimes on 4-for-7 shooting in 16 minutes during Minnesota's 119-114 loss. He sparked the team with his energy and scoring. And for the next two months or so, he'll play a crucial role off the bench.
Bones Hyland's game against the Warriors shows his value to the rotation
He proved his rotational viability last season, averaging 8.5 points off the bench for the Wolves. However, he also proved to be erratic and fell out of the rotation in the playoffs. With the Timberwolves' improved guard rotation, he quickly became the odd man out.
In any case, there's some evidence that Hyland can be a solid rotation player, and the Wolves clearly need his skill set for the time being.
During Wednesday's game, the Wolves' offense was cold. They scored just 48 points in the first half. When Hyland checked into the game in the middle of the third quarter, the Wolves were down 82-64, but by the end of the quarter, Hyland and the bench cut the lead to 12, eventually enabling the starters to make it a clutch-time game. For a Wolves team that was stuck in the mud, Hyland gave them a shot in the arm.
Bones did so by pushing the pace, making some 3-pointers, and crucially looking to get his teammates involved. While he's inconsistent and undersized, Hyland is one of the team's better perimeter shot makers, especially with Edwards sidelined. You can also never question his energy. Hyland is always pushing the pace, making quick decisions, and giving it his all.
Even though Hyland is limited by his size on defense, he fights his tail off. Heck, he even got three blocks during the Wolves' game on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors.
The Wolves looked lethargic on Wednesday, and Bones playing regular minutes can ensure that this won't be a problem. This, paired with his shot creation abilities, gives the Timberwolves something they desperately need off the bench.
Look, the Wolves' first game without Edwards was far from ideal. Still, Hyland's play was a clear silver lining. If he can provide a consistent bench spark, that would be a huge boost to the Timberwolves as they manage life without Edwards.
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